Objective
Objectives and content
The tableware porcelain industry has a strong need in reducing production costs by modernizing its technology and to become more competitive with other non U.E. countries. One of the most promising technology is the Porcelain Injection Moulding (PIM).
Injection moulding technology involves mixing porcelain powders with a suitable combination of binders, lubricants, and platicizers to create a mixture that can be shaped by injection in a die. The shaped part removed from the die contains, ideally, a uniform dispersion of powder. The binder and other unwanted additives are removed and the part fired.
PIM has certain advantages over other methods of forming, in that crockery requiring handles can be manufactured in one step, whereas other processes require the separate fabrication of the handle and container and then, the joining of the two pieces. Clearly the simplicity of a single step forming process has economic benefits for industry. Injection moulding technology is already well established for plastics and is now being developed for the manufacture of porcelain.
This technology needs development and research to allow the optimization of all the processing stages. Also, the selection of new cheaper primary materials (porcelain and binders) and the study of the use of recycled porcelain are important requirements for industrial implantation. The integration of the processing steps for industrial-automation is necessary to increase production rates. In this project, a prototype plant system will be designed and built to optimize the various individual processing parameters and to demonstrate the capabilities of a future industrial PIM plant.
Main objectives:
- Develops new formulations of powder porcelains using waste porcelain for preparing cheaper feedstocks.
- To introduce the new Porcelain Injection Moulding (PIM) technology as an industrial competitive process for tableware fabrication.
- Increase the productivity and flexibility of tableware industry, reducing the cost.
- Decrease the environmental impact by using recycled waste porcelain, while guaranteeing the quality of the crockery and china produced. - The design and construction of a prototype pilot system for demonstrative and testing purposes.
This is a particularly relevant project in Europe because of the large number of European porcelain manufacturers. Four of the companies that participate in the project are industries from four different countries, (Portugal, Spain, France and Germany) and so the project is promoting international relations, through industrial collaboration within the European Union. The knowledge gained from this research, with further study will have wide implications to benefit a diversity of other EC ceramic industries, in more areas than just porcelains.
Fields of science
Call for proposal
Data not availableFunding Scheme
CSC - Cost-sharing contractsCoordinator
20303 Irun
Spain